


Gilmore Girls aint nothing

by StarMuse



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Eventual Smut, F/M, IW and EG didn't happen, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Slow Burn, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-23 18:57:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20345080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarMuse/pseuds/StarMuse
Summary: You were captured and artificially inseminated by HYDRA at 16 before you were rescued by SHIELD. 16 years later you have a new life and own The Honeydew Inn, where you meet Captain America and start a whirlwind romance that leads you to James Barnes, The Winter Soldier. Or as you recognize him as, the father of your 15 year old daughter. How will things progress with Steve, the man you are dating, when  you have a daughter with his best friend. What happens when Bucky develops feelings for you? What direction will your heart take you?(Steals characters from The Good Place, but it isn't plot relevant.)





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story for the MCU. I have so many planned. Like a lot of one shots and at least three longer stories. Please message me, comment if you like to story or if you don't mind me blabbering about my stories to you.

Most nights you’re completely fine. You have good dreams, or nonsensical dreams, or the occasional anxiety induced dream about you being chased around an empty supermarket by whatever cheesy masked monster from the last B-list horror movie you watched.

Then there were nights like these; the ones with the nightmares.

**Could you really call it a nightmare when it was more so a memory? **

_You were sixteen again. They took you and you don’t know why. You always wondered the reason you were chosen, if it was because of your family ties or if you just happened to be the unluckiest teenage girl in the wrong place at the wrong time. You often thought about the why, but deep down you knew it didn’t matter. The answer would always be unsatisfying because, in the end, nothing could come close to justifying why it happened._

_The room you were in looked like it was ripped straight from those gory slasher movies that were popular for some reason. The one with eight unnecessary sequels that recycled the same plot over and over and played too heavily on the gross out factor. _

_It was part hospital part dungeon. The walls were metal and the floors were concrete in the room, but grated in the halls. You remember that because they dragged you down the halls barefoot and the grate nearly cut in to your soles. _

_It smelled so heavily of antiseptic and death that you gagged every time you took a deep breath. It took you years to be able to even use hand sanitizer because the smell would set you off. There are some times, even sixteen years later, you catch a sudden whiff and you’re back in that room._

_You didn’t give in easy and you’re proud to admit that. You fought every chance you had and even though they would beat you, they seemed to want to keep you in good health.  
They conducted many tests on you. Invasive ones ranging from blood tests to pap smears. _

_They didn’t answer your questions and spoke in languages you didn’t understand. You only just clued in as to what the tests were for when you overheard the word “ovulation” and your stomach dropped._

_You didn’t know who it was that was inserted inside of you. You saw him, though. He was always in the room with you, frozen in place in some sort of metal and glass tube. He looked like he was sleeping, but his skin was so pale it was almost blue. You didn’t know his name or who he was, or if he was even alive in there. All you knew was that one of the men once called him “The Asset”. _

_The nightmare always ends differently. Sometimes you wake up screaming, blinking away the memory of a man in a lab coat coming at you with a needle like device that had a long straw attached to it. Other times you jolt awake covered in sweat, still hearing the gunfire as SHIELD agents storm the facility to find you with a slightly swollen belly. _

_But for the passed ten years the only constant you wake up to is… _  
  


_~_

“Mom… Mom!” You’re being shaken, hearing the slightly annoyed voice of a young girl.

And you remember the nightmares and the trauma that you went through. You remember all of it and you wouldn’t change a single thing because it gave you the greatest joy in your life.

“What… What time is it?” You mumbled, sitting up on your elbows as you blink the sleep from your eyes.

You’re in your room, lying in your too soft bed under your plush comforter. Everything is bright and safe, decorated in hues of your favorite color. On your nightstand your cell phone light is on and showing that the alarm is going off, but you must have accidentally turned the sound down again.

The thick curtains are drawn shut, muting the brightly shining sun just outside the window. There’s a human shaped figure sitting on the side of your bed, and is mostly a shadow until you get used to the dim light.

“It’s 7:30, you slept through your alarm again. If we don’t go soon I’ll be late for school.” The shadow looks more concerned than annoyed now, brushing a bit of hair from your slightly sweaty forehead.

You feel warmth in your chest at her touch. You did right raising her, if you do say so yourself. Lorelei was the best daughter you could have ever asked for, no matter how she came to be.

“I’m sorry, baby. You know how it is. We just got finished remodeling yesterday and it’s already almost autumn.” You sighed, shifting to get out of bed when she stood up.

“I know, I know. Autumn is the busiest time of year for you, but with the remodeling and me starting school you have been really wearing yourself thin.” She shifted on her feet a bit as you juggled around the room, nearly tripping as you tried to shove a pair of jeans on as fast as possible.

“I’m fine, baby girl. It’s a lot, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. Besides, it’s _my_ job to be worried and _your_ job to be the kid.” You slipped on a pair of black flats.

She still looked at you in concern and again you were hit with how lucky you were to having such an amazing and responsible daughter. With her wavy brunette hair and slate blue eyes, looking like one of those angels in Renaissance paintings. She was so sweet and cherub like, hiding behind baggy clothing and the layers of self-consciousness that came with being fifteen.

You wrapped your arms around her shoulders, kissing her cheek until she giggled.

“Okay, _okay_! It’s just… I’m not just a kid any more. You… You can rely on me too.”

You smiled a bittersweet smile as you let her go. You wanted to tell her that she shouldn’t have to worry about you and to just be a kid for as long as she could. But she was in the transitioning period between child and adult, wanting to grow up too fast.

It was always you two against the world, after all. It had been that way since she was born, except of course SHIELD was always there in the background. They probably still are, though you two were deemed “safe” so you haven’t seen or spoken to a SHIELD agent in over eight years.

After the incident, you were taken in to protective custody.  
You were sixteen and impregnated by HYDRA, an organization that, according to history books, was supposed to have been destroyed during World War 2 by Captain America and the courageous Howling Commandos.

SHIELD took care of you throughout your pregnancy and for years after. For obvious reasons they were interested in your baby, but as far as all tests went she was just a normal, healthy infant. With their help you were able to find some semblance of normal. You couldn’t exactly go home to your parents back then, and to be honest your relationship with them was always a bit rocky.

SHIELD gave you the option to _opt out_ of raising your daughter. She _was_ forced on you against your will and there was no trace or record of who the “father” was. Honestly you thought you’d hate her, maybe even resent her. That when you saw her, you would only see the frozen face of the man in the metal tube and relive every horrible thing HYDRA ever did to you.

That wasn’t the case.

Lorelei Alice L/N, later known as “Rory”, came in to this world kicking and screaming. You instantly knew she was a fighter just like you, when you heard the thunderous echoes of her cries in the hospital room. You asked to hold her and the tiny baby in your arms immediately stole your heart. You looked at her, so small and so fragile, and you knew you would do anything for her.

After that, high school wasn’t an option. You missed almost your entire sophomore year and it didn’t seem like SHIELD was too keen on you simply going back to school after everything. Not when you were a loose end to HYDRA, and not when you were a sixteen-year-old teenage mother. There was some “home” schooling before you just took your GED.

The fact you missed your high school experience is partially why it’s so important to Rory.

You’ve always been forthcoming with her. You kind of had to be, if you wanted to raise her right. She was always too smart for her own good, always wondering about her father. Finally at thirteen you explained to her how she came to be in a kid friendly way, and after that she was just as protective of you as you were of her.

Now here she is, trying to grow up too fast just to give you a piece of mind.

“Alright! Got my purse, got my keys. Did you eat breakfast?” You snagged your purse, which was hanging on the hook on the back of your bedroom door, and jingled the keys a bit to show you were ready.

“Yeah. Kitchen made fresh muffins so I had one of those and some bacon.” Rory had to jog to keep up with you, as you marched out of your room and down the hall in wrinkled jeans and a plaid pajama shirt with no bra.

It was a usual sight at the inn, for the workers at least. You and Rory have a two-bedroom apartment suite in the back corner, next to the laundry room. That way you could sneak out the back way without being seen by any of the guests, and its not like the people that worked their could really judge you because you were the owner of the building.

The Honeydew Inn in upstate New York is a beautiful luxury inn that was more or less forced on to you. By that time, it was deemed safe to talk to your parents again. They were rich folk, both sides coming from old money, and you honestly counted yourself lucky that you grew apart from them just so you didn’t turn out like they did.

You were never really that close to your parents to begin with. For a while when you tried to picture your mom, all you could see was the varying faces of whatever nanny she hired for you that week. The only time you had a heart to heart with your mother was on the night of your sixteenth birthday, a week before HYDRA abducted you. She told you that you were a woman now, and because of that she extended your privileges and gave you more freedom to discover yourself. (“_Just as long as you stay in line_” was heavily implied.) That very freedom she gave you was the how you happened to be taken.

They had a hard time wrapping their head around what happened, especially because it was all so confidential. All they truly knew is that you were kidnapped, somehow got pregnant, and you were in protective custody of SHIELD until further notice. It took you being tortured by HYDRA for them to realize they never really had an active role in your life.

You knew they felt bad about it. Your parents might not have been _good_ people but they weren’t necessarily _bad_ either.

When you were finally able to contact them you were in your early to mid twenties and fresh out of business school.

You mentioned to them that your dream was to open a sweet little Bed and Breakfast, so of course they bought you a giant Inn located in the prime of upstate New York. It was their way of _making it up to you_ for never being there, and was more or less a gift given to quell their own guilt.

It took a while to get used to since you went from juggling a job, a kid, and college, to owning your own business. But you took it and you not only made it work, you made it yours. You made it home.

~

You tried not to speed on your way to Rory’s school. She was right, thanks to the remodeling, prepping for the autumn rush, and her starting her sophomore year at high school, you couldn’t catch a break. You were constantly stressed and had no outlet for it.

You had little to no social life, save for a group of close friends from the Inn. Your dating life was absolutely nonexistent, despite your friends and even Rory’s pestering.

_You’ll never forget the day when your baby girl told you that you needed to get laid._

But it was hard! When you were in your twenties, what should have been the prime of your dating life, you were raising a kid, working to stay afloat, and taking online college classes. You had the occasional date here and there, but no one ever stuck around when they found out your first priority was always going to be your daughter.

You almost felt like you were ready to explode. Your mind was all over the place, but hopefully with the remodeling complete you would have time to breathe. The small dark moment you let your mind wander to the lack of your love life made you depressed, but of course your blessed angel of a daughter started blasting 80’s rock ballads so you two were shouting rather than singing the lyrics to Poison’s _Every Rose Has It’s Thorn_ when you finally pulled up to Rory’s school.

“Bye mom. Hey, remember I have band today so I’m off at 4:00.” She opened the door and rushed out so she could run to the back seat and grab her oboe.

“4:00, got it! Love you, sweetie!” You turned the radio down to call out, watching as she stumbled towards the front door between a growing sea of teens while struggling with her heavy messenger bag and oboe case.

“Love you too!” She gave you a half turn and a wave before disappearing in to the large building.

With that, she started her day and you started yours.

~

You spend most of the day like any other one before the remodeling started. You can’t help but let out a sigh of relief now that it’s done. Gone are the sleepless nights spent bent over magazines and designer websites, choosing everything from decorations, to paint colors, to furniture sets, and fabrics. Gone are the days of half of the building being “closed for renovations” while being covered in tarp and construction.

Hello again to the days (and nights) of going from sitting at your desk in your office, to sitting at the desk up front. Good old boring deskwork. No more running around like a headless chicken, worrying if the paint clashed with the new carpet, or if the paintings on the wall made it look like you were trying too hard to make this place look homely.

It was some time after nine. Rory was in her room, most likely finished with her homework and either playing _Animal Crossing_ on her Pikachu ds or watching _Gilmore Girls_. The television show that you declared as your arch nemesis ever since Tahani, your right hand woman and self proclaimed BFF, mentioned the many similarities between you and the main character. You watched the show and _hated it_ because it was like a tame retelling of your history, making you feel like your own life was a horror show knock off of some cutesy WB comedy-drama. Rory, on the other hand, loved it. Though you weren’t sure if she loved the show itself or how much you raged when it was brought up.

You let out a soft sigh, realizing that you were poking the keyboard a bit too violently because half your mind was on work and the other half was: “_If I’m so much like Lorelai Gilmore then why don’t I have my own Luke Danes? Where is my grumpy diner man who is always there for me in the background until he sweep me off my feet after a seven season slow burn?” _

Then you realize, as someone who hates the show, you’ve seen all of it and spend a shocking amount of time on the wiki. _Oh, god_. You’re not actually a _fan_ are you? Would that count as narcissism if you secretly enjoy what could be called the light hearted retelling of your life?

You were so lost in thought that you almost jumped out of your seat when you heard the polite timbre of a man’s voice say, “Um… Excuse me?”

“Oh! Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry.” You closed your eyes, holding your chest as you let out a slow breath, trying to calm your wildly beating heart.

“No, no, _I’m_ sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you, it’s just that, uh, I was standing here for a couple minutes and you didn’t seem to notice.”

You finally opened your eyes and looked up to the man across the front desk, thoroughly embarrassed that not only did you neglect a customer, but also this man most likely stood there politely and watched as you bullied your poor keyboard in to submission.

He was tall, around six feet or more, with a muscular build and a slim waist. He wore a sinfully snug white shirt under a dark brown leather jacket, with form fitting dark jeans. Since he was on the other side of the desk you couldn’t tell what shoes he wore, not that you cared but the shoes _make_ the outfit, although you were too focused on his face to really pay mind. His dark blond hair was medium length and swept back, and he peered at you through thick lashes with bright baby blues.

You recognized this man. Why did you recognize this man? He looks so familiar. Was he from a movie or something? Ugh, you wished you watched things other than 80’s, 90’s, and early 2000’s comedy-dramas, maybe then you’d be able to place him.

“Oh, no. It’s my own fault. You know how things are; you get so caught up in work that the world around you just disappears! I mean, I don’t know if you know that. I don’t want to assume. I don’t know you. It could just be me?” You laughed nervously and winced, seemingly unable to control the tone of your voice. Honestly you would have rather _literally_ put your foot in your mouth at this moment instead of figuratively.

He seemed to relax a bit from his slightly stiff posture, letting out a breathy chuckle at your flustered rambling.  
“It’s not just you. I get like that too, sometimes.”

This man had to be a saint. If the situation were reversed you would have cringed so hard you’d turn in to a human turtle and sleep in your car rather than keep talking to the awkward inn lady.

You cleared your throat as if to say, _“I’m starting over”_, and switched to business mode.  
“So, how can I help you?”

He blinked a bit at your transformation, before glancing down at his pocket while he fished out his phone and held it out as he faced you again. It was an impressive smartphone, a brand which you didn’t recognize, opened up to your website’s home page.  
“I’m looking to stay a couple of nights. The Internet said this place isn’t busy during this time of the year, right? And no reservation required?”

You peered at his phone before you nodded and turned towards your monitor, navigating through the booking information to check all the available rooms as he slipped his phone back in to his pocket.

There were many vacant rooms at this time. The autumn rush wasn’t due to start for another month or two, so The Honeydew Inn was pretty much empty. There were, however, the occasional honeymooners and anniversary crowds. You even held a few weddings here on occasion, thanks to the beautiful apple and plum orchard in the back. You also updated the website regularly, informing when reservations were needed and when spontaneous visitors were encouraged.

“Right. Around this time of the year it’s practically a ghost town, so no reservations required. Do you have a preference for rooms? Standard single rooms have a king sized bed, doubles have two queens. Every room has a kitchenette except suites have a full kitchen and living room. All bathrooms are handicap accessible, but the first floor bathrooms have walk in showers while the rest have a bathtub shower combo. Suites also have added Jacuzzis.” You went off on your well-versed explanation, glancing from him to the monitor that held the map of available rooms.

He looked a bit overwhelmed by all the options you gave him, maybe even a tad shocked that there was that many. Judging by his expression, and that he only had one medium sized duffle bag, you assumed he wouldn’t be interested in hearing about the eight newly renovated themed suites, since those were more-so romantic getaways and he was obviously here alone.

“Just a single room. Anywhere is fine. Maybe, uh… Close to the dining room?”

Ok, that puts him on the first floor right hall directly above the dining room and across from the elevator.

“Perfect. I have just the room for you. Two nights in a single room comes up to… $336.50! May I have a name, photo I.D, and form of payment?”

You were always told you should charge more for the rooms, especially for people who drop by without reservations.

The standard price for a single room for two nights in similar inns can go up to $800, but you honestly feel like $300 is pushing it. You want the Honeydew Inn to be available to anyone, but at the same time if you charge too low then you don’t make as much back as you’re putting in. _Ah, business._

The man looked surprised as he reached for the wallet in his back pocket and you weren’t sure if it was because he thought you were charging too much or too little. He handed you his license and a sleek black credit card as he spoke his name.  
“Steve. Steve Rogers.”

You didn’t process his name right away until you examined the birthdate on his driver’s license.

July 4th, _1918_.

And it was then you realized that the reason he was surprised was probably not because of the price, but because your dumb ass didn’t recognize that you had been selling a room to Captain America.

“_Oh_.” You whispered dumbly as you looked from him to his license, and he let out a breath that you swore almost sounded like a laugh.

When you looked at him again his shoulders were lightly shaking and he was faintly pursing his lips to suppress a grin.  
“Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. You, uh… Didn’t recognize me?”

If this was any other celebrity that line might have sounded conceited, but he sounded sincere and genuinely surprised. With good reason, too, since the man had a face more recognizable than a bald eagle to any US citizen. In fact, the entire world most likely knew those high cheekbones and baby blues better than a portrait of white Jesus at this point.

“I thought you were familiar. I don’t know. I don’t really keep up with the news. I just assumed I saw you in a movie, or something.” You could feel a shameful blush warming your cheeks as you entered his information in to the computer and charged his credit card.

Embarrassment aside, you did have a complicated life that only got more hectic after your sixteenth birthday. Between torture, unexpected motherhood, work, and school you never really had the time to pay attention to the world around you.

That being said, you were aware that Captain America came back from the dead. You knew about the Avengers and you were even in New York when the Chitauri invaded, albeit far away from the city. You heard about Ultron, then the failed Sokovia Accords that were revised in to the more lenient Avengers Accords, and you of course were vaguely informed of the whole “Winter Soldier” debacle. For some reason Rory was really interested in… _What was his name? _The Howling Commando that was Captain America’s best friend. You never paid attention to the trials when she watched them on TV, always zoning out after hearing “HYDRA” and burying yourself in work to avoid flashbacks. You heard he was an Avenger now, so good for him.

“To be fair, I _was_ in a couple of pictures.” He chuckled deeply, flashing you that panty dropping all American smile.

Was Captain America _teasing_ you right now?

“Oh, so _that’s_ where you’re from. The _pictures_.” You playfully countered, cheekily returning his smile as you hand him back his cards.

Steve took his license and credit card with one hand while the other ran through his hair as he let out a soft laugh. You hope you aren’t imagining things but you can swear his cheeks were the slightest bit flushed as he shoved his cards back in to his wallet and slipped it in to his back pocket.

He’s still smiling when you hand him his keycard and tell him his room number, only casting quick glances to the elevator and the near by amenities when you point them out. There’s a beat of silence where he lingers, looking like he’s trying to think of something to say.

“I didn’t catch your name.”

_God damn it_. Leave it to _you_ to have a conversation with a real life super hero and not introduce yourself like the gracious host an innkeeper is supposed the be.

“Oh, jeez. I really have no idea where my mind is this evening. I’m Y/N L/N.” You hide your indiscretion with lighthearted laughter.

He repeats your name under his breath, as if testing it out. Tasting how it feels rolling off his tongue.

“Are you working tomorrow as well?”

“Oh, I work every day. It’s one of the plus sides to being the owner. I’m usually in my office-“ You pointed behind you to the opaque windows of your office that looks out to the front desk and entire foyer of the inn, with the door on the side by the left ground level hall. Further down that hall is the laundry room and your family suite.

“-But Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays I take the front desk from seven to midnight.”

You hope you didn’t come off as desperate, but it sounded like he wanted to see you again. God, you pray you aren’t just projecting your own feelings on to him and making him uncomfortable instead. The _last_ thing you need is a bad review from Captain America.

“You’re the owner? Of the entire place?” He looked surprised. Impressed, even.

“Yep. Owner and co-manager, so it’s not just me running the place.” You earnestly replied, hoping it sounded modest.

You did not want to come off like you were boasting, especially since you only own this place because of your parent’s guilty consciences. You always felt like you didn’t truly deserve the Honeydew Inn since you didn’t have to work to get it, even though you practically built the lodge from the ground up.

His eyebrows are slightly raised as he took a step back and looked around the lobby as if seeing things in a new light.

“Wow. That’s pretty amazing, owner _and_ manager.”

Your lips find that cheeky smirk again as your stomachs does flips at his compliment.  
“It’s not _that_ impressive. It’s not like I’ve been in any pictures or anything.”

He laughed again, the sound sending an eruption of butterflies fluttering deep inside your guts.  
“Shame, too. You would have put Katharine Hepburn out of business.”

Though you only vaguely knew of the actress he was referring to (You think you saw her in _Little Women_), you blushed any way. That sounded an awful lot like flirting, but again you didn’t want to assume. This was Captain America. Maybe he was just being nice.

“Well, then, it’s a good thing I took up hotel management instead.” You replied coyly, with a sweet smile.

His gentle blue eyes met yours, a charming grin across his face as he leaned against the desk.

“A good thing, indeed.”

There was a split second of silence where the two of you simply gazed at each other. If this was one of those movies or television shows you watched, this would be what you considered a _moment_. The instant when the two protagonists realize they’re kind of in to each other_. Please don’t just be reading in to things_.

The _moment _was interrupted before either of you could open your mouths, by the loud clacking of high heels against the exotic hardwood flooring. Tahani’s accented voice rang out, snapping your attention to see her gliding towards the front desk with her eyes glued to an electronic tablet.

“I know I’m not on the clock right now, but autumn is just a week away and I need to know if we’re replacing the peonies with begonias or- _Oh!_” She stopped a few steps short of the desk when she looked up to see you and your company.

Her eyes went from you to Steve, the surprise quickly disappearing from her face as her expression transformed in to an enchanting smile. She was more used to celebrities than you were, being from a wealthy family from Pakistan and growing up in English high society. You were honestly very lucky to have her working with you since she could probably be anywhere in the world and do literally anything she wanted.

“My apologies, I hope I didn’t interrupt anything. Though it is a pleasure to meet you, Captain.”

Steve nodded politely,

“Pleasure is all mine, miss.”

“Tahani. Tahani Al-Jamil.” She reached out a beautifully manicured hand, to which he kindly shook.

“At least someone recognizes me.” He turned back towards you with a teasing guise.

“Well, I’m _so_ sorry Captain. Maybe she saw your _pictures_?” You rolled your eyes, the corners of your lips twitching upwards with mirth.

“Please, call me Steve.” He responded instantly, his expression mirroring your own.

You beamed at him, ignoring the very interested look Tahani was giving the two of you.  
“Ok, Steve. Breakfast starts at 6:00 and goes until 10:00.”

“Any chance I’ll see you there?” He inquired almost shyly, adjusting his grip on his duffle as he eyed you.

“Of course. I eat just about every meal in the dining hall.” Excluding the times you abused DoorDash or on the rare occasion went out, it was true. The head chef, Patricia, would always get passive aggressive when she saw you hunched over your desk eating take out.

“Great. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” He cast you one last disarming smile as you and Tahani bid him a good night before he disappeared in the elevator.

Once he was gone, you turned to see the smug expression on Tahani’s face.  
“What?”

“_Please, call me Steve_.” She spoke in a deep voice, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

“He’s was just being polite.” You instantly shot back, snatching the tablet from her hands to look at the selection of autumn crocuses and peach begonias.

“He didn’t ask _me_ to call him Steve. In fact, he barely registered I was there. He also seemed quite excited at the prospect of seeing you again.” She teased, leaning over your shoulder to watch as you made your selection.

She whispered a quiet “_Good girl_” when you selected the begonias.

“You’re reading in to it. He was only being nice.” You sighed as you handed the device back to her.

“Darling, it was obvious. _Captain _Obvious. He was most certainly flirting and is definitely interested in you.” Her gold acrylic nails tapped noisily against the electronic screen as she confirmed the order.

You could feel your cheeks heating up as you huffed.  
“I don’t think so. He’s just a gentleman.”

She gave you a look that said “_You can’t be serious_” as she put one hand on her hip and loosely held the tablet with the other. Once she determined that, yes, you were serious, she rolled her eyes.  
“Fine. Believe what you want. How long is he staying?”

You glanced at the computer monitor, which still showed his information.  
“His check out is Sunday.”

“A whole weekend with Captain America…” She looked at you, as if insinuating something.

Instead of the gutter, your mind went elsewhere. To where it always goes, when you aren’t thinking about work.  
“Rory is going to loose her mind.”

“Even more so when she finds out Captain America wants to date her mother.” Tahani impishly added, causing you to sputter out in surprise.

“Not that I am acknowledging you as right, because you aren’t, but don’t tell her that. She is as bad as you are when it comes to my dating life and I do not need her to _Parent Trap_ me.” You pointed at her to assert how serious you were.

“Of course, of course. We wouldn’t want that, now would we?” She impassively waved at you as she shook her head.  


She left a bit after that and you went back to work until the front desk closed at midnight. And of course as soon as you went back to your suite Rory was awake, demanding to know if Captain America really hit on you.

You went to bed cursing Tahani’s name, with your teenager curled up next to you excitedly whispering every interesting fact she knew about Steven Grant Rogers until the two of you fell asleep.

You didn’t have a nightmare that night. Instead you dreamt of breakfast with a beautiful man and Josephine March from _Little Women_.


	2. two

The mission went smoothly, which everyone said it would, although it didn’t make Steve any less tense.

The base was small and only had a handful of HYDRA agents to protect it and it took Natasha longer to hack the computers than it did to take the hostiles down.  
  
But it was too close to the Avenger’s Facility, too close to home. So close, in fact, rather than taking a quinjet, Natasha insisted they drive. She seemed eager to try out her new cherry red Bugatti Chiron and carpooled with Sharon.

_Sharon_. Another reason Steve was tense. Though they were still _friends_, things were just awkward between them after dating didn’t pan out. It was neither of their faults, it just didn’t work out, and they promised to remain friends but they barely spoke to each other any more. He wishes it could go back to how it was before the kiss, before they tried dating.  
They worked together just fine, but there were no pleasantries spared between them. It was all business, save for a tight smile she offered him when saying goodbye before climbing in to Natasha’s car.

Things off the field weren’t any better. Bucky was knee deep in therapy and on his way to get approved to go on missions. Steve was with him every step of the way, but too closely at times. He was being a “mother hen” and was constantly hovering, according to Bucky. It wasn’t like he meant to, his friend went through hell and he just wanted to support him.  
He loves Bucky, but at the same time being with each other 24/7 wasn’t doing their relationship any favors. What was that saying? “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”? Either way, they both needed space.

He was a little less than an hour from the facility when he turned his car off a dirt road. He turned off the engine and gripped the steering wheel, deciding whether or not he wanted to hit his head against it.  
  
He didn’t want to go home just yet. The thought of walking back into the facility with everyone there, with Bucky and sometimes Sharon… He needed a few days alone, just a few days to collect himself.

He fished his phone out of his pocket and opened the search engine, slowly thumbing in a request to show near by hotels. He still wasn’t the best at using the new StarkPhones, but he was a lot better at using new technology than he was since he first woke up. He had to admit, it’s way more convenient and he’s learned to love it.

The nearest places to stay were average motels and slightly higher-class hotels. He scrolled down the list, not really keen on sleeping in a motel 6 or a Day’s Inn on it’s last leg.  
He got half way down the list when he noticed a nice picture of a beautiful lodge, rated 4.5 stars with a couple hundred reviews, only twenty minutes from where he was and half an hour down the Hudson from the facility.

_The honeydew Inn, come before the rush, no reservations required. _

He stared at the pictures of smiling faces showing off the rooms, the amenities, and even picking apples in a large orchard by a stream. It looked… Nice. The kind of nice you would see in feel good family movies. Maybe with a dog.

Steve wasn’t sure why he checked to see if they were dog friendly, -_they were_-, because he doesn’t even have a dog. Something about The Honeydew Inn was making him crave something… _Domestic_… A faceless wife, a couple of kids, and a dog, all piled in an SUV for fall break. Things he said he had given up on ever since he was taken out of the ice. A secret yearning he kept locked deep inside his heart.

Without much more thought, he hooked his phone up to the route guidance and headed towards The Honeydew Inn.

He wasn’t sure what to expect when he got there, but it wasn’t you.

You somehow managed to be both charming and awkward. The soft “_Oh_.” That left your lips when you realized who he was almost made him laugh. You didn’t recognize him, but when you did you didn’t treat him like some sort of amazing relic. And the banter, _god_, you _teased_ him. He hasn’t spoken with anyone like that outside the Avengers in _years_. You were not only beautiful, but you made him feel like just a man.

A man that could have a future outside of being Captain America…

That night he slept in a bed as soft as clouds and dreamt of breakfast with a beautiful innkeeper and a golden retriever.

~

You awoke with a start to a pair of jeans being thrown at your face. You blinked away the sleep from your eyes and grabbed your phone, seeing it was once again 7:30.

You groaned as you laid back down, listening to Rory rummaging through your closet.  
“7:30, on a weekend? The only two days I am allowed to sleep in?”

“Breakfast started at six and I don’t know when Captain America is going to be there. You don’t want to keep him waiting.” She responded, holding out two blouses to the light before tossing one at you.

_Shit_. You forgot about Captain America. He wasn’t really serious about meeting you for breakfast though, was he?

“And what’s all this?” You sat up in bed, the jeans and blouse falling in to your lap before you examined them.

“Well, you want to look good but not too good. Not like you’re trying too hard. It has to be work appropriate and weather appropriate, so no dresses. Not that you wear dresses often, any way.” Rory spoke as if it was obvious, and you were a bit concerned why she picked everything down to your underwear out.

“Hold on. What do you think is going to be happening at breakfast?” You blanch slightly as she tossed you the laciest pair of panties you owned. (Date night panties, only successful once.)

“I don’t know. You charm him by being quirky and pretty and you whisk him off his feet with your obscure knowledge on _Full House_? I just assumed you’d talk and maybe get a date.” She explained, sounding too adult for the Sanrio Cinnamoroll pajamas she was wearing.

“Shouldn’t I save these for the supposed date, then?” You raise your brows, twirling the panties with your index finger.

“Gross. Those are for confidence. Dress confident, feel confident, be confident. Confidence is very attractive.” She added the matching bra to the pile.

“I can tell it’s important because you said it five times.” You sigh, finally getting up.

“Alright. You go down and meet Captain Rogers and come back and tell me everything. Maybe bring back a chocolate cherry muffin from the kitchen.” She was ushering you to the shower when you stop her.

“Why don’t you just come with me? You can meet him that way.” Your words made her freeze.

“What? No. You don’t bring your daughter on the first pre-date date. I don’t want to be the reason you don’t get a date with Captain America.” She crossed her arms, looking at you seriously.

“First off, it’s not a pre-date date or whatever. And second, I wouldn’t want to go on a _not_ pre-date date with any man who would see you as a reason not to go out. Captain America or not, Rory, you’re my everything.” You rubbed her upper arms until she wrapped you in a hug.

“I just… I know I’m the reason you’ve never really had a boyfriend.” You heard her muffled voice against your shoulder.

“Baby, no. It’s not your fault; I’ve just been going out with complete duds. It’s their fault for not seeing you and instantly falling in love with this amazing family unit we have.” You rubbed her back until you felt her shoulders shake.

“Family unit? You make us sound like aliens pretending to be human.” She pulled away from your hug, giggling.

“Maybe we are. Maybe our life is more _Roswell_ and less _Gilmore Girls_. Now come on. You are coming to breakfast with me, and unless you want Steve to see your Sanrio pajamas…” You trailed off, staring pointedly at the blue and white printed cartoon characters on her clothing.

“_Ooooo, _so he’s _Steve_, is he?” She teased, skipping out of your room laughing as you lightly whipped your towel in her general direction.

“Brat.” You sigh with a laugh, before going taking a shower and dressing in whatever she picked out for you.

~

You could tell Rory was nervous by the way she was fidgeting on your way to the dining room.

“This isn’t a prank, right? We’re not going to walk in there and Tahani or Eleanor isn’t going to jump out and say gotcha?” She sped up and walked backwards in front of you until you grabbed her shoulders and turned her safely around.

“That kind of pranking is beneath Tahani and you know Eleanor doesn’t wake up before ten.” You could feel her vibrating with nerves as you steered her in to the dining hall.

“What if he doesn’t like me?” Her voice was a bit small and she looked like she wanted to bolt.

“Then he isn’t worth it. Sweetheart, I’m not making you do anything. If you would rather hang out in the room I can bring you a muffin later.” You stopped just short of the entrance.

“No… No, I want to meet him.” She stood straight and dusted invisible dust off of her long sleeved _Sailor Moon_ tee shirt.

“Alright, then let’s go.” You smiled at her encouragingly before leading her inside the dining room.

There weren’t many people there, since it was both early and not a busy time of the year. You were able to pick Steve out immediately, and judging by the sharp intake in her breath, Rory was too.

Steve was sitting off to the side and on his third cup of coffee. He wasn’t sure when to meet you there, so he had been sitting in the same spot since the dining room opened. (You didn’t have to know that, though.)

When he saw you approaching he brightened and stood up, before casting a quizzical look at the young girl next to you. She looked a lot like you and… Someone else, but he can’t quite put his finger on who. Is she your sister, maybe?

“Good morning, Steve. I hope you liked your room. This is my daughter, Lorelei L/N.” You smiled, tugging your daughter to your side to stand directly in front of him.

“Um, hello. It’s an honor to meet you, Captain Rogers. You can call me Rory, if you want. It’s my nickname. It was supposed to be Lori, but I got my L’s and R’s mixed up as a kid and it just stuck.” Rory’s cheeks were flushed as she rambled, nodding politely at the older man.

Steve was surprised at first, as most people are when they first meet Rory. He recovered quickly and smiled. Her rambling reminded him of yours from last night, and for some reason it made his chest feel warm.  
“It’s an honor to meet you as well, Rory. Please, call me Steve.”

He pulled out seats for both of you and you politely sat down. _You knew he was a gentleman. _

He sat across from you and smiled.  
“So, any recommendations?”

“I only ever get the chipotle breakfast burrito or a muffin. The muffins here are the best.” Rory gushed, thankfully a lot less tense but still nervous.

“I can verify that as true. The muffins are amazing and she has only ever eaten that burrito since this place has been running.” You laugh and she bashfully ducks her head with a smile.

“How long has this place been running? If you don’t mind me asking.” He kindly asked.

Something about the way he watched you both with such a warm expression made your insides feel all gooey so you had to take a second to think.  
“Uh, this place has been open for almost two years. Took about a year to get off the ground so I’ve had it for about three years total.”

“We just remolded it, too. Before it kind of looked like a rich old lady’s house.” Rory helpfully added, nearly making you choke because _yeah_, it did kind of look like your mom’s house.

Steve laughed, but before he could say anything the waitress came by for your orders. He cast Rory a grin as he ordered a chipotle breakfast burrito, and she had the absolute joy of saying “I’ll have what he’s having!”

Meanwhile, you ordered your usual and a couple chocolate cherry muffins. You and Rory usually split one when you ate a full breakfast, even if you were both too full for it. The muffins were just _that_ good, so of course you ordered one for Steve as well.

Conversation flowed easily. You weren’t sure what you anticipated, but whatever was happening was nice. You kept the topic mainly on you and Rory, the both of you dealt with SHIELD before and knew how secretive they were so you could only imagine how discrete an Avenger must be. But he still interjected with little tidbits here and there, mostly seeming happy not to have the focus all on him. You found out a bit of what it was like growing up during the depression and how much he likes Thai food. You had no idea who the hell Bucky is, but Rory seemed to recognize the name when Steve brought up a story about how the two spent all their money at the malt stop in Queens and didn’t have enough to take the subway back so they washed car windows for nickels until they had enough to get home. Apparently Bucky’s mom was furious, and you would have been too if your fifteen year old did that.

“Wow, so you were a bit of a trouble maker, weren’t you?” You laughed when he finished his tale of picking fights in alleyways. He didn’t mention who came out the victor, but you remember from Rory’s trivia last night that he used to be 5’4” and 95 pounds so you took a wild guess.

He cast you a cheeky smirk, leaning in a bit as he spoke.  
“It could be argued that I still am.”

“Oh?” You leaned in as well, but jumped back when you felt the sudden vibration of your phone in your pocket.

You pulled out your phone to see three missed texts from Tahani and a missed call and paled when you saw the time.

“Oh, jeez! It’s almost 11:00? I am so sorry, I have a staff meeting I need to get to.” You shot out of your seat and Steve politely stood as well.

“Oh, that’s ok. I was just going to check out the fitness center.” He smiled as Rory awkwardly followed your lead.

“We also have an indoor pool. And a spa, but that cost extra.” Rory softly interjected.

“Remember to read a chapter of _The Outsiders_ and practice your oboe.” You kissed her on the cheek, which she immediately wiped off, before turning to Steve.  
“This was a lot of fun. Thank you so much for having breakfast with us.”

“It was my pleasure, really. I really hope we can do this again.” He replied kindly.

You’ve heard that line before, right before your date ghosted you. But Steve seemed genuine, and then of course there was Rory…  
“She usually eats lunch in her office but we get dinner around 8:00 and eat here in the dining room. You guys can fondue.”

You aren’t sure why he choked at that but he quickly cleared his throat to cover up his wavering voice.  
“That-that sounds great. 8:00?”

Well, you sure as hell weren’t going to pass up dinner with him. Especially after how great breakfast went.  
“Yeah, 8:00. I’ll see you then.”  
  
You parted with a final smile before power walking to the staff meeting that was supposed to have started ten minutes ago.

~

Your day went on like any other, except with random texts from Rory. She was hanging out with Steve, it seemed, and randomly messaged you facts she learned about him.

His favorite color is actually green. (Not a very creative color.)

He doesn’t like avocados but he likes guacamole. (Weird, but you feel that.)

He has a Harley-Davidson WLA and an Iron 1200. (You think those are motorcycles?)

His favorite Disney movie is _Fantasia_. (You forgot that movie came out in 1940.)

You gently reminded her at around 5:00 to read her book and practice her oboe and she stopped texting you until she popped in to your office fifteen until 8:00. She told you about her day, how she and Steve hung out in the fitness room. He exercised while she bounced around on an exercise ball. You weren’t worried if she bothered him because Rory was always such a shy girl, the fact she actually talked to someone new for so long made you proud.

“We should get a dog.” Was the first thing she said when she entered your office.

You looked up from your computer, watching her as she picked at her nails.  
“A dog? What brought this on? I thought you were a cat person.”

  
“I like both cats and dogs, I just think it would be beneficial for both of us if we got a dog.” She leaned casually against the wall by your door.

“Uh-huh… And why would it be beneficial to us, exactly?” You asked skeptically, saving your document when you saw it was almost time to meet Steve.

“Think of this. It’s autumn; the leaves in the orchard are changing colors and painting the world in hues of red and gold. Captain Steve Rogers is wearing a blue flannel shirt two sizes too small, playing fetch with our new dog while we sit under an apple tree for a picnic, drinking hot apple cider and eating those wrap thingies you like so much.” She painted quite the picture, one that made your heart skip a beat.

“So you want us to get a dog for Steve?” You raised your brow at her.

“He might have mentioned that he can’t have a dog where he’s living and I think that’s criminal. That man _needs_ a dog.” She stood firmly, reminding you how she looks during her academic decathlon practice.

“We’ll talk about it, but if we get a pet it should be for us. Not for someone we might never see again.” You glanced at the clock on your computer once again before shutting it down and standing up.

“He’d definitely want to see us again if we had a dog.” Rory said mostly under her breath and you rolled your eyes.

“_We’ll talk about it_.” You opened the door and ushered her out, following closely behind her while you two made your way to the dinning room.

Honestly you kind of liked the idea of getting a dog. You didn’t have any pets growing up and it’s been a few years since Missy, yours and Rory’s tortoiseshell cat of eight years, passed away.  
You put that thought in the back of your mind as you walked in to the dinning hall.

Just like at breakfast, Steve sat off to the side. He smiled when he saw the two of you, waving slightly until you approached and he stood up to pull out your chairs.

  
The three of you talked over fondue until about 9:00, when Rory abruptly stood up and said she needed to water her flowers in _Animal Crossing_ and not so subtly excused herself. Then, you and Steve somehow ended up at the bar.

“She’s a real great kid, I swear.” You shook your head, taking a sip from the hard cider made from the apples from the orchard out back.

“I can tell. She’s a lot like you.” Steve smiled warmly, tasting his own cider.

“Thank you so much for spending time with her today. It really meant a lot to her. If you haven’t guessed, you’re kind of her hero.” You grin at the blush that appears on his cheeks.

“I’m nothing special. I’m sure you’re her real hero.” He playfully bumped your shoulder and you laughed.

“I’m no hero, just an ex-teen mom. Though I have to admit, I think I’m doing a pretty bang up job raising a teenager all on my own.” You smiled fondly at the thought of your daughter.  


“On your own?” Steve asked, the tone of his voice sounding concerned. He figured you weren’t married, he didn’t see a ring on your finger when he first saw you bully your keyboard and hasn’t seen one there after. He didn’t know you raised Rory alone, though.

“Yeah. Her father isn’t in the picture and I’m not exactly close with my parents. It’s just been me and her since I was sixteen.” You replied vaguely, not wanting to get in to anything too deep.

How the hell would you even tell him about your past? What HYDRA did to you? The man in the metal tube with skin so pale it looked almost blue…

You shook the memories out of your head before finishing your cider, not seeing the way Steve was looking at you. Resolution was burning behind his bright blue eyes.

“Must have been tough.” He spoke thoughtfully.

“Tough, but worth it.” You smiled, and the conversation tapered off to a different topic after that.

It was almost midnight when you finally made it back to your room. You had a delightful buzz, so Steve politely escorted you to your apartment before bidding you a good night. Rory was still awake when you got home, waiting for you on your bed in her unicorn pajamas.  
  
“So… How did it go?” She started bouncing excitedly, up and down on the bed.

“How did what go?” You replied casually, changing in to your pajamas as she groaned.

“You two were alone! Tell me something happened.” She demanded.

You turned towards her with a sigh as you shoved your baggy sleep shirt over your head,  
“Nothing happened. We just talked.”

“He didn’t ask you out or anything?” She seemed genuinely surprised.

“No, he didn’t ask me out. He’s not going to ask me out. He’s going to check out tomorrow and go back to saving the world because Steve Rogers isn’t _into_ me.” You flopped down on your bed, suddenly feeling sad at the thought of saving goodbye to him tomorrow.

Rory started telling you how wrong you were and how that couldn’t be right, but your phone glowing on your nightstand distracted you. You sat up with a sigh and grabbed the device, opening it up to see a text from Tahani.

**Tahani:** _ Captain Rogers just extended his stay by a full week. Go get him, girl!_

Well… It’s not the first time you’ve been wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk what's why the spaces are so big, or how to fix it so oops??

**Author's Note:**

> please comment and message me if you want me to spam you with my ideas. Avengers is my current hyperfixation and I have so many ideas...


End file.
